prevalent in every hunting country in England. It is that of dram drinking and smoaking cigars. When men's nerves arrive at that deplorable pitch which renders Dutch courage, as it is commonly called, necessary, they have no business to have any thing to do with hounds; for it is well known, that what is a comfortable and inspiring dram one morning is but a necessary beverage the next, and to make it useful to the heart of man the dose must be every day amended till the quantity swallowed becomes sufficient to steep the brain in a sort of sottish and muddled forgetfulness, which is more disgusting than downright intoxication. I know of many instances when servants of hounds dram themselves to what they deem a working pitch; at the commencement of this poisonous custom they may not be too much elated to have their wits about them, but this lasts but a short time, and in a few weeks after they have practised this species of renovation the dram becomes large enough to flush their faces and to flurry their actions; they are always in haste, always in a passion, and when the fox is found, altogether, head, hands, and heels, in a feverish excitement, totally unfitted for their occupation. In a little while they become stupid, lose their situation, and end their lives as broken down publicans. Such is the usual fate of a huntsman or whipper-in who begins with dram drinking, and ends in drunkenness; and what a contrast it offers when compared with the greyhaired man who has been with hounds since childhood, and who, though arrived at an advanced age, still continues to preside in honoured opulence and health over the establishment which he tended in his youth.

A man-all men-had better lose a part of their nerve over a country, or the whole of it, and ride as they please; rather than screw themselves up by artificial means; it cannot last long, and for a few days of their wonted hard riding they barter health and whole years of existence, and do not even escape the taunt-in the first instance, of seeking in the flask that which had fled from their hearts, as-no man drinks that does not tell.

There is another species of dram which is inhaled from the fumes of the cigar. People may cheat themselves into a belief that this has not the same effect upon the stomach, and thence on the brain, but depend upon it that it has. I have seen men who had left their cigar cases behind them, and who could not meet with one in the field, as much at a loss for their usual resource as a dram-drinker without his bottle; I have seen their nervous look, and heard the chatter of their teeth by the cover side, as the hounds found; and I have observed the difference of their riding without and with a cigar. At the commencement of a long run, just after their cigar, I have seen them ride as usual; at the end of an hour and twenty minutes, not having had an opportunity of lighting another, I have seen them blench from their work; a check has hap

pened, they have had time to smoke again, and again they have ridden as hard as ever; they may deny it as they please, but I know many whose horses will not smoke if their masters do not. If a man chooses to have a pipe in the evening, let him; but I would advise all young sportsmen to abstain from following the bad example that is now so pre valent, in the day time. It hinders work, it makes a small cover smell like a pot-house; if people poke their pipes into a drain or earth, a hound cannot mark a fox; if taken into a stable, the ashes of a pipe may set the litter on fire; or if you are shooting fall into the top of your powder horn, which peeps forth just beneath your chin, and blow you up (and I have often wondered it has not done so to some men a thousand times);" and after losing many runs by riding to farm houses for a light, by chance not having the materials for one with you, and losing shots in striking one, you return home with yellow teeth and eyes, and have the satisfaction of resembling, in every scent of the word, the butt end of an old tobacco-pipe; decreasing in the calves of your legs and general muscle, exactly in the relative proportion that you increase in the protuberance of your under lip. If you intend to follow long, and thoroughlyn enjoy, the sports of the field, you must lead a temperate life; by that I do? not mean to say it is to be one of privation, for that would only be mak ing a trouble of a pleasure, but it must not in any way be one of sottish excess, nor of any unnatural excitement.

We publish this month, as usual, our annual list of hounds, which our readers will see is considerably fuller than any we have yet given. The arrangement too is different, and for the present form, as well as for much valuable information relative to the establishments in the midland counties, particularly in Shropshire, we are indebted to a kind friend and correspondent there. It will be seen that it is our wish to give the names of all the members of the different establishments who appear in the field, and though there are still some deficiencies, principally in counties where we have failed in receiving answers to our applications for information, yet we hope by the aid of our friends, and the publication of the list apart from the Magazine, to be able to supply them all by another season. We beg to tender our grateful acknowledgements to the noblemen and gentlemen who have kindly assisted our labours on the present occasion, by replying to our inquiries. We shall feel obliged to any one who wilbe point out any errors and omissions in the present list, in order that they may be corrected in the next number of the magazine.

Throughout the country we are happy to say appearances are very! favourable True it is, that the list of masters of hounds presents some changes, but not more than the changeable nature of all things in this sublunary world would lead one to expect. The midland counties seem to1 fluctuate the most, and Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, and Nottinghamshire, have all new masters, the latter having two, viz-Lord Henry Bentinck, vice the Earl of Scarborough deceased, in the Rufford country, and Mr. Musters, vice Captain Freeman retired, in the Gunthorpe district. We wish the new masters, one and all, the best possible sport. A splendid dinner, at which upwards of one hundred persons were present, was given at the George Hotel, Melton, on the 16th uit. to Mr. Errington, by the yeomen, farmers, graziers, and others, resident within the limits of the hunt, to celebrate his acceptance of the Melton country." The chair was most ably filled by a genuine sportsman, Mr. Burgess of Clipstone, who had an efficient vice-president, in Mr. Wm. Alsop, of Garthorne, The dessert, wines &c. were in Mr. Burbage's usual excellent style, in proof of which, and of the conviviality of the meeting, it will be sufficient to state that they did not separate till past three o'clock. This is a most flattering and auspicious commencement for Mr. Errington..

1

The weather during the early part of the past month was very boisterous and unfavourable, and the rains which accompanied it have had the effect of keeping the leaves on the trees and hedges later than usual. We scarcely ever remember the ditches blinder than they are this year, but a few frosty nights will soon put this to right. We regret to state that a melancholy accident has marked the opening of the season in Yorkshire, in the person of poor Bamford, huntsman to that amiable and excellent nobleman Lord Harewood, whose horse fell upon him; we understand he has since died of the effects.

On looking over our list of huntsmen, we perceive that the celebrated Jack Richards' place with the Badsworth, is occupied by another name. Richards we understand is out of place, and can be well recommended by many of the members of his late hunt.

Our Melton correspondent's letter, dated the 20th, says, "I have great pleasure in informing you, that we have a remarkably fine show of foxes. this season. Mr. Errington has been amongst us for the last week, and some very pretty sport has been shown. He will commence hunting regularly on the 22d. We are anticipating a full season. Lord and Lady Wilton will be here the first week in November, and stables have been engaged for Lords Eglinton and A. Seymour, Mr. Campbell, and some other strangers."

The Lambton hounds took the field, in their usual efficient form, fo for regular hunting on the 12th ult., having previously disposed of sixteen

NO. LV.-VOL. X.

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brace of cubs. They met at Shincliffe, and for a wonder had a gallant run from there to Castle Eden Dean. Their worthy owner is in great force, and a good meeting at Hardwicke and Sedgefield is anticipated. Foxes are very plentiful. In the course of their cub-hunting, the hounds met on the 5th ult. at Elemore Hall, the seat of that distinguished veteran sportsman, George Baker, Esq., who on that day attained his eightythird year, and although the weather was very unfavourable, he turned out on his old mare (aged 29) and enjoyed the day's sport throughout with the youngest of the field. We understand that Mr. Hancock has painted an admirable portrait of the old squire on his mare.

Sir Matthew White Ridley's hounds have commenced hunting with every prospect of a good season, foxes being more plentiful than they have been for many years.-A similar account of the prospects of the Galewood has reached us.

In the Cheltenham country, and at Berkeley Castle, Lord Segrave's hounds have had capital sport cub-hunting, having three weeks ago been out seventeen times, and killed twenty-seven foxes.

The following, dated 22d October, is from a friend in Shropshire. "Cub-hunting with Mr. Smythe Owen's hounds commenced the last week in August, and terminated last week, with eleven brace of foxes killed, hunting two days a week; they commenced regular hunting on Monday last at Acton Burnell Park, with a good run, but lost. They will hunt the country, as heretofore, four times a fortnight. Foxes in South Shropshire are more plentiful this season than last; and are very numerous indeed, according to all accounts, in North Shropshire, Sir Rowland Hill's country. Any particular good day with either of the above packs, I will send you an account of, and again put to work the pen as well as the stud of your's, A SALOPIAN Fox-HUNTER.

DEAR EDITOR,

OXFORDSHIRE.

THE hunting season being fast approaching, I again trouble you (after a long silence) with a few observations as to what is going on in the Drake country and other hunts in this county. In what I call "ours," namely, Mr. Drake's hunt, we have a glorious prospect ;-the hounds all rightthe establishment rarely mounted-a splendid show of foxes-and the master of the hounds amongst us in good health. No change has taken place in the management since last season, four days a week being the order of the day.

Col. Drummond is now at Hethe, having taken the hunting box lately occupied by Mr. Slater Harrison. The fox-hunting farmers are all alive, anticipating not only some capital opportunities of showing off their bits of blood, but also a pretty considerable increase in the price of oats, hay, and straw, from the consumption by the nags of "The fine old English

gentlemen" who prefer fox-hunting in England amongst their tenantry and countrymen, to fiddling in France or Italy with the Signor Velluti's and such semi-demi quaverers. May their "shadows never be less," and their substance increase! An alteration has been made in the Beaufort country, which is now hunted under the name of the "Heythrop hounds," under the control of a committee of six, comprising Lord Redesdale, Mr. Langstone, Mr. Cottrell Dormer, Mr. Mostyn, Mr. Waller, and Mr. Cockerell. They have a little increase of country, and hunt three days a week, viz. Monday, Thursday, and Friday. The uniform is changed; instead of blue and buff, the members turn out in glittering scarlet, but the establishment still retain the green, as in the Duke's time. His Grace still keeps the Badminton country, hunting there three days a week, with Will Long as huntsman. Lord Radnor's pack have also changed hands, and are now like the Duke's "in committee." It is now called "Phillip's hunt." They hunt partly Berks and partly Oxon, extending from the vale of Berks to Stonor Park, near Henley. We have also in the county, Mr. Fanes and Mr. Morrell's harriers, the latter hunted by Mr. J. Morrell, jun.; Lord Chetwynd and Mr. Peyton's otter hounds are also in being, hunted by these gentlemen in person. So that you see Mr. Editor we are at no loss for hounds. Horses are plentiful,-Sportsmen are ready, and let us hope there is a numerous progeny throughout the county of foxes, hares, and otters, to suit the tastes of all parties.

We have had some capital races at our autumn meeting at Bucknell common, which were well and fashionably attended,-The stewards being Viscount Villiers, Henry Peyton, Esq., and John Slater Harrison, Esq. There was a thorough bred stake of 3 sovs. each won by Florence, beating The Spider, by Grimaldi, Lord Dillon's b. g. and two others. The second stake of 2 sovs. each, 10 added, were won by Miss Everett, beating Lord Dillon's, The Spider, Epaulette, and Norman, and another, after which, two cavalry cups given by Lord Villiers and Lord Chetwynd afforded much amusement. Then came a match, and the affair was finished by a first-rate pone y race, and a cup for the beaten horses. After the races a capital ordinary was provided at Deakins's, the King's Arms, at Bicester, which was well attended-Lord Villiers in the chair, supported by Lords Chetwynd and Dillon, the Honourable Twiselton Fiennes, Henry Peyton, Esq., &c. The wines were excellent, the party enlivened by some excellent singing-every thing passing off in the most agreeable manner. Lord Chetwynd and the Honourable Mr. Fiennes accepted the office of stewards for the year ensuing, and a liberal subscription was entered into to support the races. The next day Lord Chetwynd and Mr. Fiennes with the otter hounds met at Buckingham, and after a famous chase, the vermin, after having been repeatedly viewed, got into the deep water and saved his bacon. On Thursday last, Mr. Drake's